Boot or shoe, composite sole therefor, and method of manufacturing same



'8. F. HARTWELL Filed May 27, 1926 May 15, 1928.

BOOT OR SHOE, COMPOSITE SOLE THEREFOR, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME I IIII/III'IIIIIl'II/IIlIIII I/l 30 g ;V 26 Z 1110621102 Z64 F1 g 65%"?0 77768] her in such construction.

Patented May 15, 1928 UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE.

BENJAMIN I. HARTWELL, OF WINCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOOT 0B SHOE, COMPOSITE SOLE THEREFOR, AND METHOD OF.MANUFA CTUBING SAME.

Application filed May 27,

My present invention relates to a novel and improved method of manufacturlng boots and shoes, a composite sole for use therewith, and the boot and shoe made thereby and is a division in part of my prior Patent No. 1,618,283 granted Feb. 22, 1927.

In boots and shoes'of the type illustrated herein, it is desirable to have a shoe struc ture with great flexibility in the sole, combined with wear resisting qualities, and a strong heel seat construction. In an effort to accomplishsuch a result, it hasheretofore been attempted to form a composite sole with rubber forepart and leather shank and heel part, but I believc that I am the first to utilize a crepe or unvulcanized rub- In my prior Patent No. 1,642,878 granted Sept. 20, 1927, I have illustrated and described my improved sole of combined leather and rubber, and in my present invention I can also utilize crepe rubber, applying the same by the Well-known two unit process at present in commercial use. The advantages of such a construction have been heretofore pointed out in detail in my said Patent No. 1,618,283.

An important feature of my present invention is the provision of reinforcing means 'at the toe, for both wearing and stitchretaining qualities, and which will also be neat and attractive in appearance, preserving the thickness of the sole, and retaining the edge line thereof longer than has heretofore been possible in crepe rubber footwear. p

Further features of the invention, novel con'il'iinations of parts, and advantages, will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, illustratinga preferred embodiment of the present invenn.

Fig.1 is a side elevation of my invention applied to a welt shoe;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a similar cross-sectional view illustrating application to'a McKay shoe;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail, illustrating the reinforcing toe portion as a separate unit instead of being integral with the sole of which it is a part.

Although my invention resides primarily in the soles, and methods of joining same, I

1926. sleriaino. 112,155.

also consider that I have effected a substantial and novel improvement in boot or shoe structures. f

Referring to the drawings, illustrating my invention applied to a conventional shoe of the oxford type, 20 designates an upper, to which isattached a welt 21. I then form a novel composite sole, comprising a leather shank and heel member 22, scarfed at 23and having a shoulder or edge 24. I then utilize a rubber or fiber solemember 25, having a toe piece 26, preferably of the same material as the rest of the sole member 25, formed in-. tegral therewith. To this fiber or rubber sole 25 is attached, in any desirable manner, either by cementing, unifying or the like, the midsole'27, preferably of crepe rubber, this midsole being of the same width as the sole member 25 and extending from the inner face of the toe piece 26 rearwardly With the sole member 25 to the scarf 23 in the shank and heel member 22. The sole member 25 and midsole 27 are then attached to the shank and heel member 22 by stitching 29, or in any other desirable manner, and this stitchingmay. be reinforced by cementing the ends of the two sole members into the scarf 23. This entire composite sole is then attached to the shoe by stitching through the forepart and shank, and the usual heel nailing for the heel seat. The toe piece 26 is beveled as shown at 30, for receiving the beveled end of the outersole or tread member 28, which is preferably of the same material as the midsole 27, viz, crepe rubber, and

which outer-sole 28 is joined with the midsole 27 preferably by coating the contacting faces of the midsole 27 and loutersole 28with a suitable solvent, such asbenzol, assembling the same, with the beveled end of the outersole fitting in under the bevel 30 on the toe piece, and forming a unified sole through out its entire length, abutting at the rear thereof against the shoulder 24 of the shank and heel member 22, thus forming a flush even surface from toe to heel, The outsole 28 is also preferably beveled at its rear to present an edge of substantially the same height as the shoulder 24. A usual heel 31 of any desired material is then applied.

By thus providing a composite sole, comprising three layers, two secured to the shoe by mechanical fastenings, and the tread sur-: face unified with the midsole, and by having a unitary toe piece, an extremely strong, cf-

fieient and serviceable shoe is produced, and one which is extremely efficient in action, possessing the desirable qualities of the shoe described inmy prior application Ser. No. 79,992, with the addition of the toe piece fonin creased'wear-resistance.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate in cross-sectional detail, the methods of attachment to welt and McKay shoes respectively. In Fig. 3 is illustrated the upper 20, insole 32 and welt 21, united by inseam stitching 33, with the sole member and midsole 27 securedto thewelt by welt stitching 34, which welt stitching is carried completely around and through the toe piece 26. The outer or tread sole 28 is also shown in position to be attached to the midsole 27.

Fig. a illustrates the upper of a McKay shoe, having insole 41, both united to the sole member 25 and midsole 27, by through and'tlirough stitching 4:2, and also shows the outer or tread sole member 28 in position for attachment as above described.

As shown in Fig. 5, I may make the toe piece 26 as a separate unit, instead of being integral with the fiber sole 25. While I preferably make this toepiece 26 of the same material as the sole 25, it will be appr'eciated' that I may form the same of leather or similar wear resisting material ifdesired. I a

The importance 'and advantages of the shoe construction, novel composite sole, and reinforcing toe piece, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, as will the advantageous features of such composite soles, with the strengthand rigidity of a leather portion in the heel and shank portions, and the resiliency and flexibility of the crepe rubber on the tread surface, coupled with the indestructibility of the re inforcing toe piece and wear resistance of the same.

My invention is further described and de} fined-inthe form of claims as follows:

1, A' composite sole, comprising a plurality of layers of rubber orrubber composition, one of said layers having a thickened toe tread piece.

2. composite sole, comprising a leather shank and heel portion, a forepart composed of a layer of rubber or rubber composition having a reinforcing toe piece,to which is adhered a inidsole ofcrepe rubber, an interengaging transverse joint between the leather sole portion and both said rubber layers insa nonfiexing part of the arch or shank, and a crepe rubber outsole unified 4. An improved boot or shoe, having a composite sole, comprising a leather shank and heel portion, a forcpart composed of a layer of rubber or rubber composition having a reinforcing toe piece beveled inwardly at its rear, to which is adhered a midsole of crepe rubber, an interengaging transverse joint between the leather sole portion and both said rubber layers in a non-flexing part of the arch or shank, said composite sole being secured to the shoe by mechanical'fastening devices, and a crepe rubber outsole unified with said crepe rubber midsole and having a beveled end to cooperate with the beveled end of the toe piece, and concealing and protecting the mechanical fastening devices in said midsole from the toe piece rearwardly to the jointure.

5. The improved process ofmaking. boots and shoes, which consists in first assembling an insole and upper materials on a last, lasting the shoe, then applying a compositesole .to said shoe, said composite sole comprising a leather shank and heel portion, a forepart composed of a layer of rubher or rubber composition having a reinforcing toe piece which is bevelled at its rear most edge to which layer is adhered a midsole of crepe rubber, securing this composite sole to the shoe by usual stitiching and heel nailing operations, preparing a crepe rubber outsole, beveling one end of said outsole, attaching it to said crepe rubber midsole between the toe piece and leather portion to form a homogeneous unified sole and conceal the stitching in the niidsole, the beveled faces of the toe piece and outsole cooperating to form a strong, even joint, attaching a heel, removing the last and completing the shoe,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

BENJAMIN HARTWELLQ 

